You give a discreet nod to your friends, and they seem to take the hint. This man will probably know some things about your newfound station in life.

You pay for another round, and Anders ends up needing to order a second before the mead hall begins to thin out. The skald, seeing the coin purses wander off, decides to pack up his belongings and head off. The four of you stand, following him out the door.

As you exit the building into the dark night, you find the man leaning against an adjacent building. He stands upon seeing you, and walks deeper into the alley way. Warily, you trace his footsteps.

“I thought you’d have questions,” he says, his voice far more gravelly than his songs and poems would lead you to expect. “Unfortunately, I doubt I will be able to answer many of them.”

“Where did the first poem take place,” Knut blurts out before any of the rest of you have a chance to ask.

“Not all that far south of the second”, he replies, a sly grin on his face. “But much, much earlier. Both are far to the east. Or the west, depending on how you want to get there.” The grin widens.

Is this guy going to answer in half-assed riddles all night? Better be careful about wording, then.

>Ask the skald more questions, write-in only
>Demand a more straightforward answer. Write in, may require a roll
>Leave, go somewhere else. (Where?)

>>1587252
Got finished refreshing last thread. When does the raiding party leave for Ireland?

>>1587252
>Ask the skald more questions, write-in only

"Have you ever traveled to those places before? What names were they called then, and what names are they called now?"

"And I know that I'm just asking for trouble, especially after the last song, but..."

"How're the women over there?"

File: 20170618_223656~01.jpg (1.4 MB, 3096x4128)

1.4 MB JPG

>>1587240
Very new to /qst but GMing for a while now. Gonna drop random art I made during the study break of the character (sry don't have ma tools at uni)

>>1587574
I'll support this.
It's been awhile mate

>>1587252
>>Ask the skald more questions, write-in only
>"Have you ever traveled to those places before? What names were they called then, and what names are they called now?"
>"And I know that I'm just asking for trouble, especially after the last song, but..."
>"How're the women over there?"

>>1587252
>>1587574
Seconding.

Where is OP? ;_;

>>1590685
Dunno, that asshole disappears, like, all the time.

I bet he's writing, though.

>>1587577
This is fucking awesome, and so are you

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452 KB JPG

“Okay, fine,” you sigh, rolling your eyes. “What are they called, then?”

“You learn fast,” the skald says, giving you a quick wink. “The name of the first happened so long ago, no one knows what it was called then. Now, however, it is called India. The first is called a dozen different things depending on where you are in it, but most outsiders call it China.”

“The women there,” Anders asks, nearly immediately, “what are they like?”

“‘How do they fight’,” Erik mocks, mimicking Anders voice fairly accurately. “‘How far away is it? What riches might be there?’”

“Yeah, Anders,” Knut joins in. “You just heard a fairly thorough poem about why so many women aren't a great idea.”

“Spoken just like men with no courage,” Anders says with a fake, proud defiance. “I’ll mind my women, you mind your own business.” He turns back to the skald, who is watching the exchange with quite a bit of amusement.

“I’ve never been myself, lads,” he starts, stroking his chest length beard. “But the stories of both cultures hold women in high regard. That makes it pretty safe to assume that they are both independent and capable, then.”

Anders soaks this in, unsure how to process the information. Knut seems to be wracking his brain for questions to ask, and Erik is taking a very keen interest in a stone he is kicking around.

>Ask the skald another question (write-in)
>Thank the skald for his time and leave (where?)
>Write-in
>It is pretty late at night, probably about 10:30. You have about 2 weeks before the ships leave for Ireland.

>>1591162
>>Ask the skald another question (write-in)
What else is known about these faraway lands?

>>1591162
>>>Ask the skald another question (write-in)
>What else is known about these faraway lands?

>>1591162
>>1591166
This. But also:

>What matter of magical beasts are found in those places?

>>1591162

>>1591166 This, plus...

>>Ask the skald another question (write-in)
"Would you go there if you could? Or where would you go instead?"

After that, give him an appropriate tip, like two or three gold.

"Thank you for the stories. You've given me a desire to visit these places, or at least a dream to reach for. May Odin grant you the chance to see the lands which you sing of, and the luck to bring back more stories from them."

“What else might be known about these distant lands,” Knut asks, his eyes practically bursting from their sockets at the prospect of learning something new about a culture.

“More than might be told in one night, young man,” the wizened old man answers, throwing his head back into a short laugh. “But I will tell you this; China is one of the oldest civilizations on earth, rivalled only by Egypt and the fertile crescent. India is a land of many mysteries and hidden treasures, as well as a number of very strange customs.”

“We’ll need to buy a ship,” Knut says to you under his breath. He’s all but foaming at the mouth, and you can see the gears in his mind turning from here

“That might be a ways off, brother,” you say, grasping his forearm in a hope to calm him down. “But we’ll do what we can.”

“What creatures might we find there,” asks Erik, already planning for contingencies that may be decades off, if ever.

The skald scratches his bearded chin for a moment before answering. “China his home to the last true Dragons, if the stories are to be believed. And I do, for the record. India’s most infamous critter is the Rakshasa. A creature not dissimilar to the Djinn that one can find in Greece, but much more rare, formidable, and aggressive.”

Anders is about to sat something, when the skald holds up a hand to stop him. For once, Anders allows himself to be interrupted.

“Both are rare enough, though, that you likely won't need to worry about one unless you go hunting for one. No, you should instead be worried about venomous snakes that can be found in scores, and the massive tigers that I’d reckon could give a fully grown troll a run for it’s money.”

Your mind instantly jumps to the image of the only troll you’ve ever seen. Easily fifteen feet tall and well over a ton, it had wandered into town already wounded. Nonetheless, it killed three armed and armored men and wounded another dozen before finally being brought down. Your mind goes crazy wondering what could possibly hope to prey upon such a beast.

You’re torn from your daydream by Knut’s voice.

“Would you ever go,” he asked the man.

The skald lets out a guttural laugh. “It would take quite the coin, or quite the story, to get these old bones to to the other side of the world. Maybe, though, if the opportunity arose,” he finishes with a sly smile crossing his wind-chapped lips.

“Thank you for your time,” you say, digging into your pockets. “And your knowledge. Both were appreciated,” you thank him as you extend your hand with a few coins. He takes them with a smile, and the five of you head back out into the street.

As the skald disappears into the night, the four of you are left standing in a rough circle, left to your own devices.

>Continue the conversation (write-in)
>Go home
>Do something (What?)
>Find someone (Who?)
>Write-in

>>1597756
>write-in
I was thinking asking Erik about what he knows about the weaknesses of vampires that we wouldn't already know. We've already faced many before and they seem capable of dying by regular means, but this is a different specimen we're soon fighting against. If he doesn't know I say we ask someone in town for a book on the subject (assuming it's not too late). Otherwise we might as well go home.

>>1597756
>>write-in
>I was thinking asking Erik about what he knows about the weaknesses of vampires that we wouldn't already know. We've already faced many before and they seem capable of dying by regular means, but this is a different specimen we're soon fighting against. If he doesn't know I say we ask someone in town for a book on the subject (assuming it's not too late). Otherwise we might as well go home.

bump.

REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE WHERE THE FUG IS EVERYONE!!??

umm why are we not bird dogging Svala right now??

>>1606710
I think Handler made a mistake, but I think it's too late now.

“Knut, Erik,” you say, turning to the brains of your operation. “What do we know about vampires? We’ll be dealing with a pretty old one soon, and while I don't expect a fight, we should have any advantage we have if we end up in one.”

“Well,” says Knut, scratching his chin, “they say that a vampire can't enter a building unless invited. I’m pretty sure that’s just something spread by vampires so you corner yourself inside. Not that they couldn't catch you, but it makes it less of a headache.”

“Yeah,” continues Erik. “There’s all sorts of stuff like that out there. Garlic, holy symbols, running water. Sunlight makes them sluggish and gives them nasty sunburns, but won't kill them. The feral ones are easy enough to trap with a fresh kill, but an elder is probably one of the most dangerous creatures on the planet. A good sword, solid armor, and brass balls are really the only way to take one of those down.”

“Fantastic,” Anders groans, running one of the wounds he took fighting the feral den. “Let’s do our best to not tangle up with one just yet, eh?”

“That sounds like plan A,” you reply, clapping your friend on the shoulder. “i think plan B involves a lot of bleeding,” you finish, just loud enough for Anders to hear. It earns you a soft punch to the ribs.

“Do you have any books at the outpost on them,” you ask Knut, hoping to glean any information you can about the beasts.

Knut searches his mind for a few moments before answering. “The only thing I have off the top of my head are some letters detailing the aftermath of attacks. Not particularly useful. I’ll root around the warehouse for something more substantial, and get back to you in a few days. Until then, though, I’m heading home. See ya.” With that, the lanky young man turns on a heel, and waves over his shoulder as he walks towards the edge of town.

You, Erik, and Anders stand in the center of the road, the hour getting late. Erik yawns, and you find it contagious.

>Continue the conversation
>Find someone else (Who? Why?)
>Do something else (What?)
>Go home, and to sleep

>>1606854
>Do something else (What?)
Head home and get some dinner, see how Danica's doing on learning the language, ask her and Pa what they'd like to have brought back from Ireland, then head off to bed.

>>1608282
Fuck, wrong post. Meant for >>1608257.

>>1608257
>>Do something else (What?)
>Head home and get some dinner, see how Danica's doing on learning the language, ask her and Pa what they'd like to have brought back from Ireland, then head off to bed.

>>1608282
Thirding.

>>1609457
Fourthing

“Well gentlemen,” you say, rubbing your hands to warm them against the brisk air, “it’s late and I’m hungry. I’ll see you guys later.”

They both return the goodbye, and chat between themselves while you walk away. It doesn't take a terribly long time before you’re approaching the family farm, the light from a fire still lit inside, albeit dimly.

You enter, and are assaulted by the smell of roasted deer. You speak as you cut off a greedy portion.

“How’s the Norse coming along,” you ask Danica. She stares at you for a moment before answering.

“Slow. Good,” she says, picking over the words carefully.

“Gotta give her more than overnight, boy,” you hear your father's gruff voice coming from a crude wooden bench near the far wall. “It’ll come, just give her time. Where have you been all day?”

“Bjorn wanted to see me,” you answer after swallowing a bite of roast. “Then there was a skald over at Haki’s, so Knut, Erik, Anders, and I spent a while there.” You hold up your hand to stop his question. “Ireland, two weeks. Anything particular I should try to bring back?”

“You're the one raiding,” Sven waves off your asking. “Bring back what you’d like. You’ve done enough for me and the farm for one season already.” He eyes Danica for a moment. “Maybe not another thrall, though. At least, not until this one can speak a decent language.”

Danica glares at you. She understands enough to know that she’s being talked about, though that’s about it.

>Continue the conversation
>Go to bed
>Leave (where?)
>Time skip to the day before you leave for Ireland

>>1616484
b00ly Danica a bit. Ask your dad about some of the places he's been raiding before and then go to sleep.

>>1616484
I'll support bullying danica a bit but honestly we've been stuck in the pre-raid loading phase for months IRL, let's get a move on if you please

>>1616484
I'll assume it's bully as in tease, which I can go for. Also, ask Dad about how he and Ma met.

After that, yeah, lets go to Ireland.

>>1616625
>>1616751
The b00ly gods demand their tithes.

>>1616484
>I'll assume it's bully as in tease, which I can go for. Also, ask Dad about how he and Ma met.
>After that, yeah, lets go to Ireland.
Let's train with the other Paladins in the timeskip, focus on teamwork, maybe have Erik focus on bow and arrow. We ARE destined to lead together.

>>1617250
Supporting training in the time skip